


The Christmas Card

by diamondpawprints



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, Jopper
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21718171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/diamondpawprints/pseuds/diamondpawprints
Summary: Hopper has a message for Joyce which doesn’t get delivered on time...
Relationships: Joyce Byers & Jim "Chief" Hopper, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, Joyce Byers/Lonnie Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper
Kudos: 25





	The Christmas Card

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve changed my name from diamondpawprints to littlemisscrosspatch on Tumblr!
> 
> This is inspired from a prompt I found after doing a google search (sorry, I’ve lost the source!)... I won’t say what the prompt was as it will give it away ;)
> 
> Enjoy!

They had left high school back in the Summer and ever since, they had spent a lot of time together. Hopper couldn’t believe it was nearly Christmas and he had decided to do something special for Joyce. They had always been friends throughout their childhood and throughout school, but they had become closer in their last year after working on a final major project together. It started off with study sessions together which started to last longer and longer as they chatted the night away, sharing cigarettes and staring up at the stars. Wanting to get a clearer look at the night skies, leaving their work behind, they would drive up to Hawkins Hill and sit on Hopper’s jacket, looking up. Hopper’s arm would find it’s way around her and she would lean into him. When the weather got colder, they would move into the car, snuggling under a blanket to stay warm. Nothing would happen between them, just the spark growing brighter.

So here he was, writing her a Christmas card, asking her to meet him outside Enzo’s. He had arranged for his mate to set up a picnic (after much bribing) on Hawkins Hill. After they ate, they would take a walk to a place where they could watch the stars. He knew exactly what he was going to say to her. He smiled as he sealed the envelope and headed out to post it.

....

He hadn’t seen her for a week, which was unusual. She had always been busy when he called. She would have received his Christmas card today. and now he stood outside Enzo’s at the time he had said. He wrapped his jacket tighter around himself as the breeze turned chilly. He looked at his watch. She was half an hour late. All kind of thoughts rushed through his head. Had she received his Christmas card? Had he written the wrong address on the envelope? Had it got lost in the post? Had she received it, but thought it was ridiculous? That last one was too horrible to think about. He closed his eyes and shook his head. He was just contemplating about whether he should drive round to hers when he heard her laughter drifting through the breeze. He looked up as she walked around the corner. Her smile lit up everything around her.

“Joyce!” He called, waving at her with the bunch of flowers he had brought with him.

She locked eyes with him, when suddenly her head was turned by someone else coming around the corner, flinging his arms around her and kissing her on her head. Hopper’s heart sunk as the couple walked towards them.

“Hey, Hop.” Joyce chimed. There was an awkward pause as Hop tried to place the face of the man she was with. “Er, Hop, this is Lonnie. Lonnie, this is Hop.”

Lonnie took Hopper’s hand and shook it, too hard for it to be anything other than, ‘back off, she’s mine.’ He suddenly remembered Lonnie had been at their school, but a few years above them.

“Ah, Jim Hopper.”

“Lonnie.” Hopper acknowledged, nodding at him.

“They’re beautiful flowers, Hop.” Joyce admired the bunch clasped in his hand. “Oh, are they for a girl? Are you on a date?”

Hopper stumbled over his words. “Uhm, er. Ye, yeah. She’ll be here any minute, actually.”

“Well, we best be leaving you then. Come on, Joyce.” Lonnie said as he grabbed her hand and started to pull her away. The anger bubbled up in Hopper. Nobody talked to Joyce like that.

“Well, have fun.” She said, giving Hopper a look that told him she had received his letter, but it was too late, she was with Lonnie. He watched them walk around the corner before turning and starting the walk home. He threw the bunch of flowers in the trash, making a note to himself to go to the military recruitment office in the morning.

....

It was nearing Christmas and Joyce had a rare day off. It was the only one she booked all year. It was middle of the week so she could get all the Christmas shopping done when it was less busy. Now the boys were older, it took her a lot less time, so she was sat on the couch enjoying a cup of strong coffee. She was as relaxed as her anxious mind could let her be when she heard the postman outside.

She left it for as long as she could before getting herself together and bracing herself for an afternoon of shopping. Before heading out, she got her mail and sat back in the car. She wouldn’t normally open the envelopes until she got back, but one particular envelope caught her eye. It looked like it had been bashed around and the handwriting seemed familiar to her. She opened the envelope and pulled out a Christmas card. It was of Santa’s workshop, elves rushing around, multi-coloured presents in their hands, on their way to Santa’s sleigh. Snow was falling all around them, lights glowing in the windows, looking warm and cosy. Stars sparkling in the sky. A heart shape cloud wafting from the chimney. Joyce smiled and opened the card. Starting from her name, she read down.

Joyce,

Meet me outside Enzo’s. 7.

I want to wish you a Merry Christmas in person.

Yours,

Hop

She put the card down, confused. They had only just been talking about their Christmas plans. She had invited him and El over to theirs so El could have her first proper Christmas.

“Almost like a family.” Hop had joked. Joyce just smiled.

She put her car into reverse and headed out to get the Christmas shopping done, all the while, butterflies fluttering around in her stomach.

6:45pm rolled around and Joyce drove to the centre of town, choosing a parking spot where she could watch Hopper appear. She didn’t want to be too early. 7 o’clock came around, there was still no sign of him. 7:15 came and went. By half past 7, the butterflies dissipated, worry setting in. What if something had happened to him? He was never late, that was always her. She turned the car back on and made her way to Hopper’s cabin. As she pulled up, the lights were glowing and inviting inside. She clambered out, not knowing what she was going to find inside. Knocking on the door loudly, she heard someone trip over something with a gruff, ‘fuck.’ The door opened to reveal a dishevelled Hopper.

“So that’s why you’re late.” Joyce flicked her hand in front of him, almost as if telling him off.

“I’m sorry, what?” Hopper looked at her confused through rubbing his eyes.

“You were supposed to meet me at 7. Outside Enzo’s.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Joyce.” He shrugged. “Can you come in, it’s bloody cold.”

Joyce stepped into the warmth, brushing past his arm. It sent shivers down through her own arm and she quickly pulled away.

“You told me to meet you at Enzo’s at 7.”

“Joyce, I literally have no idea what you’re talking about. You sure it was me?”

Joyce gave him a death stare. “Well whoever it was, they signed it with your name!” She pushed the card into his chest and he almost fell backwards.

“Geez! What’s this?”

“Just, read it!”

As soon as Hopper looked down and saw the card he had written 25 years previously, give or take, his face dropped.

“Well? Who do you think it was? Playing a ridiculous prank like that?”

Hopper stared at the card and traced his handwriting with his thumb before looking up.

“It was me.”

It was Joyce’s turn to look confused. “But I thought you said-“

“I wrote this during the Christmas we graduated high school.”

“Wh- what?” She took the card from him and looked down at it.

“Oh my god. It must have got lost in the post.” Hopper rubbed his cheeks.

“But-“

Suddenly, the realisation hit Hopper like a ton of bricks. His card hadn’t been delivered. She hadn’t been ignoring him. It had been a mistake. She could have been his all this time. Her kids could have been his.

“I-“ He was lost for words, overcome with emotion. Sara could have been Joyce’s if that goddamn card had been delivered. They could have been a family. “Joyce, I need to take you somewhere. EL? I’M POPPING OUT!” He bellowed, to be greeted with a ‘Yeah.’

...

After getting into Hopper’s car, they took off towards Hawkins Hill.

“Where we going, Hop?” Joyce asked.

“Where I wanted to take you back then, when I sent the card.”

“To wish me a Merry Christmas in person?” Joyce looked at him, a playful sparkle in her eyes.

“Maybe.” Hopper glanced back at her, a glint in his eyes that was only reserved for her. “Here we are.” 

Joyce followed him up the hill.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see. It should be around here somewhere.” They walked for five minutes until Hopper stopped suddenly. “Here we are.” He said as he vanished into the bushes.

“Hop! Where have you gone?”

“Come in through the trees.” She heard him call from the other side. She brushed through and she found herself standing in an opening. It wasn’t very big, but could fit both of them comfortably side by side.

“Wow.” Her breath was taken away by the view of Hawkins, the lights twinkling cozily beneath them.

“I found this place a few days before I wrote that Christmas card to you. I had a picnic ready and waiting and I wanted to count the stars with you.”

Joyce turned to him. “Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

“You turned up with Lonnie.”

Joyce’s mouth turned into an O. “Those flowers, they were for me.”

“Yup. I just never got the chance to give them to you. I had wanted to take the next step in our relationship, but I had left it too late.” He stared out across the town. He had some horrific memories down there, but also some of his most beautiful, a lot of them shared with the one stood next to him in that moment in time. “I had everything I was going to say to you that night all planned out.” He laughed and rubbed his forehead. Joyce turned him gently and moved so he had to look at her.

“Tell me now.”

“Joyce.” He whispered, shaking his head and shutting his eyes.

“Please.” She reached down and squeezed his hand, trying to encourage him. He looked up, seeing the love sparkling in her eyes. He couldn’t help it as he leaned down and kissed her gently. She immediately responded by deepening the kiss and wrapping her hands in his shirt to pull him closer.

As they broke apart, Joyce whispered, “Merry Christmas, Hop.”


End file.
